Thierry Dumaine has decided to integrate a concept that we have been clamoring for since long. Of course, he has done it in a way that is both unique and stands out from the crowd. An electric hybrid car that has windmills in the wheels is his way of using all the friction that we normally encounter during transportation. Of course, he likes to call them ‘fans in the wheels’, but they are more akin to little windmills that generate power for your car.
The idea that designers are catching on to (though very slowly) is that friction is not always your enemy and while aerodynamic designs reduce drag, the part that cannot be completely eliminated can be turned into energy. Imagine tiny windmills spinning around on fast moving trains. Of course, they need to be integrated properly and Thierry Dumaine has tried to do so in a car with ‘Ventile’.
Ventile is a translucent electric hybrid that relies both on petrol and electric engines for power. The fans in the wheels will spin around when you are travelling to generate electricity and send it back to the battery. This allows your battery to constantly get charged while on the move. While maybe, the execution needs a bit finesse, we love the concept and the way it has been integrated into a medium of transportation.
Now, if only more designers could plug-in ways to exploit both solar and wind energy in modes of transportation and turn the traditional disadvantages into strengths!
Via: Michelin Challenge Design
